Considering Anti-depressants

Before you start any prescription drugs, like anti-depressants I would encourage you to try a variety of vitamins and get some daily exercise (does not have to be anything strenuous a thirty minute walk will do). I to have suffered with bouts of depression and anxiety at times (also feeling at times like I have had permanent PMS) and it usually strikes me when I am not taking my vitamins or getting some exercise. Believe me if you ask for anti-depressants from the docs or don't even ask they will prescribed them without blinking an eye, I was offered them without even asking me about diet, exercise or vitamins because they don't care. Anti-depressants can help but, do you really want to be dependent on some drug, maybe if you have exhausted all other options and it is your last hope. I would suggest some exercise and these vitamins: a Women's One Daily multivitamin, Magnesium 250mg, B-100 Complex (B vitamins are very important), Evening Primrose Oil 1000mg, sometimes I take additional Calcium supplement, and a combo vitamin C 500mg & E 400mg pill; you might want to try a zinc supplement as well
I hope you will try something like this before getting on drugs, I am a nurse so I do think drugs are necessary for lots of things but for this I would exhaust all other options. The web gives a lot of different vitamin combos for depression, try them and see what works for you. Best of luck to you.

Hi T.,
This is a somewhat controversial topic. People seem to have widely differing opinions on what depression is and the use of antidepressants.
Bear in mind that what I write is based on my personal experience. I have had bouts of depression at various times during my life, usually after a big loss in my life - Mom's death, divorce, new baby (loss of old identity), death of Dad, etc. I'm also a clinical social worker so I've worked with others suffering from depression. Many years ago I took Zoloft with excellent results and now I am weaning off of Fluoxetine (which is generic Prozac). I started at 20 mg and am now on 10 mg.which is a very small dose.
I saw a psychiatrist a few times who recommended fish oil, specifically Omega Brite. He takes it himself. I now see Hillary Lipson Parra, PhD. about twice a year. She is a psychiatric nurse with prescribing privileges and also provides therapy.
I want to add that plenty of sleep and exercise have been critical aspects of my getting better, but I realize that with a 3 year old those are both going to be challenges. ;-) Also being a stay at home mom can be isolating and depressing (as well as exciting and joyful!)
There are excellent books on the subject of women and depression. I STRONGLY recommend womens' Bodies, Womens' Wisdom by Christiane Northrup, MD and The Wisdom of Menopause by the same author.
I hope you feel better soon. Being a mom of a preschooler can be incredibly stressful! Mine are now 23 and 13 and are the light of my life!
Write back to me if you would like to, I know how it is!
Best wishes and good luck!
D.

A good counselor that I know is Carol Cofer. She is off of Wm Cannon and Brodie, ###-###-####. She is wonderful at spotting issues and what they could possibly be. Then she has Dr's that she can recommend. Kenton Brown is a Psychiatrist that is on 38th St. He may be able to take an appt with you to see if you need meds or if maybe an endocrinologist would help. You may try Carol Cofer 1st... probably easier to get in to her.
Hope you get help soon. I'm almost 42 with an almost 3 year old also. He's makes me crazy with his wild moods... much less if I have any of my own.
; ) good luck. L.

T.,

I go to an Internal Medicine physician who practices in Round Rock near Steiner Ranch. She's wonderful, very intelligent, and many of her patients are middle-aged women. She has helped me tremendously with my own depression, and prescribes an anti-depressant for me that works wonders. Here's her contact info:
Gwendolyn Miller, MD
2900 N. Quinlan Park Rd.
Suite 430
Austin, TX
Ofc Phone:###-###-####

Best of luck!

I have recently started going to a Dr at Capital Psychiatry Associates (1301 W 38th St # 700
Austin, TX 78705-1016 ###-###-####‎) and am very pleased with the care I am recieving. The Dr will even call to check up on me or discuss something she feels is important to disuss before my next appointment. They are out of network for my insurance but are willing to work with me financially and I like them enough that I feel it is worth it. I have had some bad experiences in the past with psychiatrists who just start a med and then switch it every couple weeks if you are not miraculously healed without really thinking through your symptoms and what might work best for you individually. This definately does not seem to be the case at this office, with this Dr at any rate (I see Dr Josephs). Just so you know this is not your typical psych office though either. The Dr you see is a 3rd year resident. But there are attending Drs there as well that the resident has to run their plan of care by and who comes in at the end of your visit to touch base with you as well. So really you get two Drs each visit indtead of one. It seems a bit strange at first and I was unsure if I wanted a resident but they really are good, knowledgable and up to date on their info. I hope you get the care you need where ever you go. Good luck.

I totally agree with Tracy and Didi I too am a SAHM of 3 small children I feel like I am at the end of my rope sometimes but taking vitamins and exercise sure do help and alone time also ( but I know that is hard ) Best of luck and give that a try

Shonda
www.shaklee.net/healthydesire